Seagate BarraCuda Manual

Box content

• Seagate BarraCuda Fast SSD
• USB-C (USB 3.1 Gen 2) cable
• USB-C (USB 3.1 Gen 1) to USB-A cable (compatible with USB 3.0/USB 2.0 ports)

Save your packaging. If you experience problems with your hard drive and want to exchange it, the hard drive must be returned in its original packaging.

Minimum system requirements

Ports

Your Seagate device has a USB-C (USB 3.1 Gen 2) interface and can be connected to a computer with a USBC, Thunderbolt 3, or USB-A (USB 3.0 or USB 2.0) port.

Operating system

• Windows® 7 or higher
• macOS® 10.12 or higher

Minimum free disk space

• 600MB recommended

Getting Started

Connect the USB cable

Confirm the type of USB port on your computer, then choose the appropriate cable to connect your device.

Use the USB-C to USB-C cable if your computer has a USB-C port. If your computer does not have a USB-C port, use the USB-C to USB-A cable.

Set up Seagate BarraCuda Fast SSD

The setup process lets you:

Your computer must be connected to the internet to register your device and install Toolkit.

Start here

Using a file manager such as Finder or File Explorer, open BarraCuda Fast SSD and launch Start Here Win or Start Here Mac.

Register your device

Enter your information and click Register.

Download Toolkit

Click the Download button.

Install Toolkit

Using a file manager such as Finder or File Explorer, go to the folder where you receive downloads.

Click on the SeagateToolkit.exe file to launch the application.

Open the SeagateToolkit.zip file. Click on the Seagate Toolkit Installer to launch the application.

Your computer must be connected to the internet to install and run Toolkit.

Storage format

Seagate BarraCuda Fast SSD is preformatted exFAT for compatibility with both Windows and Mac computers. If you use the drive with only one type of computer, you can optimize file copy performance by formatting it in the native file system for your operating system. See Optional Formatting and Partitioning for details.

Disconnecting the drive

In order to avoid file system corruption, it's important to unmount Seagate BarraCuda Fast SSD's volumes before disconnecting the interface cable. See Safely Remove Seagate BarraCuda Fast SSD From Your Computer for details.

Use Toolkit to Set Up Sync Plans

Create a Sync Plus plan

Sync Plus creates a synced folder on your Seagate BarraCuda Fast SSD that mirrors folders on your PC or Mac, so your files are available in both places. Deleted files can be automatically stored in an archive folder on BarraCuda Fast SSD in case you need them.

• Click here for details on setting up Sync Plus.

Optional Formatting and Partitioning

Seagate BarraCuda Fast SSD is preformatted exFAT for compatibility with both Mac and Windows computers. If you use the drive with only one type of computer, you can optimize file copy performance by formatting the drive in the native file system for your operating system.

About file system formats

NTFS—The native file system for Windows. macOS can read NTFS volumes but cannot natively write to them.

Mac OS Extended (HFS+)—An Apple file system optimized for macOS 10.12 and earlier. This file system remains the best option for external storage devices and is the only format compatible with Time Machine. Windows cannot natively read or write to HFS+ (journaled) volumes.

APFS (Apple File System)—An Apple file system optimized for solid state drives (SSDs) and flash-based storage systems. While APFS may benefit SSD performance, note the following restrictions:

• You cannot use an APFS-formatted disk as your Time Machine backup drive. Format Seagate BarraCuda Fast SSD to HFS+ if you intend to use it with Time Machine.
• APFS is only supported on macOS 10.13 or later.

exFAT—Compatible with macOS and Windows. exFAT is not a journaled file system which means it can be more susceptible to data corruption when errors occur or the drive is not disconnected properly from the computer.

How to choose the file system format

Use NTFS if:
...you connect the storage device to Windows computers, and you don't need to allow a Mac to write to the storage device.

Use HFS+ if:
...you connect the storage device to Mac computers, and you don't need to allow a Windows computer to read or write to the disk. HFS+ is the only format compatible with Time Machine.

Use APFS if:
...you connect the storage device to Mac computers, and you don't need to allow a Windows computer to read or write to the drive. Do not use APFS if you intend to use Seagate BarraCuda Fast SSD with Time Machine, or if your computer is not running macOS 10.13 or later.

Use exFAT if:
...you need to allow both Mac and Windows computers to read and write to the storage device.

Manual formatting

Use the steps below to manually format and partition a storage device.

Formatting erases everything on the storage device.
Seagate highly recommends that you back up all data on your storage device before performing the steps below. Seagate is not responsible for any data lost due to formatting, partitioning, or using a Seagate storage device.

Mac

macOS version 10.11 and later

1. Open the Finder and go to Applications > Utilities > Disk Utility.
2. In the sidebar to the left, select your Seagate BarraCuda Fast SSD.

macOS starting version 10.13—Make sure to select the storage device and not just the volume. If you don't see two entries listed in the sidebar, change the view in disk utility to show both the drive and the volume. The view button is in the upper left side of the Disk Utility window. Change the view to Show All Devices. This feature was introduced in macOS 10.13 and is not available in 10.11 or 10.12.

3. Select Erase.
4. A dialog box opens. Enter a name for the drive. This will be the name displayed when the drive mounts.
5. For Format, select OS X Extended (Journaled).
6. For Scheme, select GUID Partition Map.
7. Click Erase.
8. Disk Utility formats the drive. When it's finished, click Done.

Windows

1. Make sure the storage device is connected to and mounted on the computer.
2. Go to Search and then type Disk Management. In the search results, double-click Disk Management.
3. From the list of storage devices in the middle of the Disk Management window, locate your Seagate device.
4. The partition must be available to format. If it is currently formatted, right click on the partition and then choose Delete.
5. To create a new partition, right click on the volume and select New Simple Volume. Follow the on-screen instructions when the New Simple Volume Wizard appears.

Safely Remove Seagate BarraCuda Fast SSD From Your Computer

Always eject a storage device from your computer before physically disconnecting it. Your computer must perform filing and housekeeping operations on the drive before it is removed. Therefore, if you unplug the drive without using the operating system's software, your files can become corrupt or damaged.

Windows

Use the Safely Remove tool to eject a storage device.

1. Click the Safely Remove icon in your Windows System Tray to view the devices you can eject.
   
2. If you don't see the Safely Remove Hardware icon, click the Show hidden icons arrow in the system tray to display all icons in the notification area.
3. In the list of devices, choose the storage device you want to eject. Windows displays a notification when it is safe to remove the device.
4. Disconnect the storage device from the computer.

Mac

There are several ways you can eject your storage device from a Mac. See below for two options.

Eject via Finder window

1. Open a Finder window.
2. On the sidebar, go to Devices and locate the storage device you want to eject. Click the eject symbol to the right of the storage device name.
3. Once the storage device disappears from the sidebar or, the Finder window closes, you can disconnect the interface cable from your Mac.

Eject via Desktop

1. Select the desktop icon for your storage device and drag it to the Trash.
2. When the storage device icon is no longer visible on your desktop, you can physically disconnect it from your Mac.

Frequently Asked Ques ons

For help setting up and using Seagate BarraCuda Fast SSD, review the frequently asked questions below. For additional support resources, go to Seagate customer support.

All users

Problem: My file transfers are too slow

Q: Are both ends of the USB cable firmly attached?
A: Review troubleshooting tips for cable connections below:

• Check both ends of the cable and make sure that they are fully seated in their respective ports.
• Try disconnecting the cable, waiting 10 seconds, and then reconnecting it.
• Try a different USB cable.

Q: Are there other devices connected to the same port or hub?
A: Disconnect other devices and see if the storage device's performance improves.

Problem: The provided USB cable is too short

Q: Can I use my storage device with a longer cable?
A: Yes, provided it is certified according to USB standards. However, Seagate recommends using the cable shipped with your storage device for the best results. If you use a longer cable and experience problems with detection, transfer rates or disconnection, use the original cable included with your storage device.

Problem: I'm receiving file transfer error messages

Q: Did you get an error message telling you that the drive has been disconnected when coming out of sleep mode?
A: Ignore this message since the drive remounts on the desktop despite the pop-up.

Windows

Problem: The device icon doesn't appear in Computer

Q: Is the storage device listed in Device Manager?
A: All storage devices appear in at least one place in Device Manager.
Type Device Manager in Search to launch it. Look in the Disk Drives section and, if necessary, click the Plus (+) icon to view the full list of devices. If you're uncertain that your storage device is listed, safely unplug it and then reconnect it. The entry that changes is your Seagate device.

Q: Is your device listed next to an unusual icon?
A: Windows Device Manager usually provides information about failures with peripherals. While the Device Manager can assist with troubleshooting most problems, it may not display the exact cause or provide a precise solution.
An unusual icon next to the device can reveal a problem. For example, instead of the normal icon based on the type of device, it has an exclamation point, question mark or an X. Right click this icon and then choose Properties. The General tab provides a potential reason why the device is not working as expected.

Mac

Problem: The device icon does not appear on my desktop

Q: Is your Finder configured to hide external disks on the desktop?
A: Go to Finder and then check Preferences | General tab | Show these items on the desktop. Confirm that External Disks is selected.

Q: Is your device mounting in the operating system?
A: Open Disk Utility at Go | Utilities | Disk Utility. If the device is listed in the left-hand column, check your Finder preferences to see why it is not displayed on the desktop (review the question above).

Q: Does your computer's configuration meet the minimum system requirements for use with this storage device?
A: Refer to the product packaging for the list of supported operating systems.

Q: Did you follow the correct installation steps for your operating system?
A: Review the installation steps in Getting Started.

Documents / Resources

References

• Toolkit User Manual - Sync Plus Activity | Seagate US

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